Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to refuse handling equipment and more particularly to an improved refuse compactor.
At the present time, it is common practice to collect refuse at apartment complexes, industrial facilities, shopping centers, and the like in large refuse bins or containers which lack any means for compressing or compacting the container contents. As a consequence, the existing refuse containers are characterized by highly inefficient refuse containment. The container must thus be emptied of their loose refuse at frequent intervals by refuse collection and compaction vehicles which transport the refuse to disposal sites.
For this reason, it has been proposed to provide refuse containers with self-contained means for compressing or compacting the refuse in the containers. Examples of such refuse compactors are described in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,835,767; 3,835,769, and 4,070,962.
Simply stated a self-contained refuse compactor comprises a container with a cover which may be opened to place refuse in and empty refuse from the container, a packing element in the container, and means for driving the packing element through a packing cycle to compress or compact refuse in the container. A feature of the compactors in my above mentioned prior patents resides in the fact that the packing element is movable through its refuse packing stroke by atmospheric pressure. In the compactor of my U.S. Pat. No. 4,070,962, the packing element is a pivotal packing blade hinged along its lower edge to the bottom wall of the container to swing on a horizontal axis in the fore and aft direction of the container for compressing refuse between the blade and the front and/or rear wall of the container.